More dead fowl found in Chicago park

Dawn RhodesTribune reporter

More dead wildfowl were found today in a Southwest Side park, and officials are warning against fishing in or walking pets near ponds there while an investigation is held to figure out what's causing the deaths.

The Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources collected seven geese along with two dead mallard ducks from near an island in McKinley Park's lagoon on Thursday.

In addition to Thursday’s seven, 10 dead geese were retrieved from the park at 2210 W. Pershing Rd. on Wednesday and six others on Tuesday. Animal Care executive director Cherie Travis said the agency collected a total of 28 this week, but could not say where the other five birds came from.

Travis said the agency is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other state and local agencies to determine the source of the problem. Several of the birds were sent to a lab to undergo necropsies and toxicology tests. A Chicago Park District official initially said that poisoning was suspected, but Travis said that she could not confirm that.

As a precaution, Animal Care and Control and Chicago Park District officials recommended that park visitors avoid fishing and walking their dogs in the grassy areas near the pond.